Man who removed girlfriend’s lung while she was alive sentenced to life in prison

Man who removed girlfriend’s lung while she was alive sentenced to life in prison

LOS ANGELES — A 28-year-old Pomona, California, man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for “brutally” killing his girlfriend and cutting out her lung while she was still alive, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Alexander Anthony Clever, who pleaded no contest to a first-degree murder charge in July, will not be eligible for parole, the DA’s office said in a news release.

In addition to the no contest plea, the defendant also admitted to special circumstance allegations of torture and mayhem, prosecutors said.

Clever went to a motel — identified by police at the time as the Motel 6 at 2470 S. Garey Ave. in Pomona — on Nov. 29, 2014, with his girlfriend, Yvette Silva, and two others.

At some point, he went into the bathroom with Silva and the pair argued, according to Deputy DA Michael Matoba, who prosecuted the case.

The couple’s companions tried to intervene after hearing muffled screams. When they went into the bathroom, they observed the defendant holding Silva, who was unconscious, in a chokehold, the release stated.

After trying to free her, the pair ran for help.

Police responded to the scene and discovered Silva deceased in the shower; her heart and right lung had been removed from her body, according to the release.

Silva was still alive when the lung was cut out from her body, according to Matoba.

Clever was arrested outside of his home two days later. Police found a knife that tested positive for the victim’s DNA.